Chloé jumps on the bag accessorising bandwagon with new charm collection

Chloé, the latest high fashion brand to spot the potential in fun accessories for customizing handbags, is launching a collection of alphabetic charms.

The French luxury brand has created a series of letterpress bag charms and signet rings designed for use as single initials or for building names and secret messages. The letters are available from A-Z and come in four distinct graphic styles, with each charm clasping directly onto the hardware of the label's signature bags. They are also available as gold metal signet rings with a bold, raised surface to reinforce the look.

The collection is set to launch this month in a selection of Chloé boutiques worldwide, with prices ranging from €60 ($65) per charm to €200 ($220) per ring.

Bag accessorizing is hot news in the fashion industry right now -- earlier this summer Fendi made waves when it introduced its new "Strap You" concept, a collection of nine interchangeable shoulder straps for easy customization set to go on sale this November. The luxury two-tone pieces, crafted from bright studded leathers and featuring exotic prints, can be used to update any Fendi bag. However, they come with a hefty price tag, starting at around £640 ($996).

It was Fendi that pushed the trend for bag accessorizing into high gear with its range of fur-themed accessories ranging from pom-poms to its lauded "Bag Bugs" resembling cute furry critters. It took things to fever pitch last year with the launch of the "Mini Karlito" charm modeled on the iconic Karl Lagerfeld. Crafted from mink and kidassia fur, the limited edition accessory features "an azalea-colored tuft and an fuchsia edge" as well as black calfskin details. It comes in a range of colors and retails for €820 ($900) - €1,240 ($1,360).